Monday, 21 July 2014

Pattern Hacking with Pride

Hi everyone, I hope that you are having a great time and enjoying the weather. I have been so, so busy at work trying to get everything tied up before we all go away for the holidays. All our deadlines are in August, great timing Me, way to go, so another couple of weeks of frantic work but not too much sewing. Such is the lot of an itinerant scientist!

However, I am preparing for having some time off and hopefully getting some sewing done.Weekend before last I bought some more fabric. A 1.5 piece of lovely grey cotton batik with a flower design. Isn't it pretty and summery? What was I thinking? Summery? Me? Ha!

This is such a nice light fabric and will be nice and cool plus the colour will work for Autumn.

I also bought another 1.5m piece of fabric which I have plans for..... summery plans (it will be ready for next year at this rate).

This is nothing if not colourful

I was thinking that this might be nice as a sarong skirt. I bought a vintage 1980's pattern from eBay, here it is. I think that I will make the knee-length one.

Simplicity 8304 sarong style skirt

It looks pretty easy but I will give you a sneaky peak of a sort-of-sarong hack that I am doing. I can't spill too many beans but I am hacking McCalls 3830 pencil skirt pattern, a favourite pattern of 2012 on Pattern Review. This pattern has great reviews and only has two main pattern pieces (plus the waistband of course but I am not using that for my secret project).

Traced off the front part.

Pegged it a bit at the bottom by measuring in 1.5cm from the edge and drawing a line with my big-curvy-ruler-thing-that-isn't-a-hip-curve-but-the-other one.

Precision pattern making with a big fat magic marker!

The excess is trimmed off and just gives the pattern a bit more of a va-va-voom vibe rather than office look. I traced the pattern out on pattern paper, doubled it over and just cut round to make one big piece for the front which I am using this principle on (nicked from Winifred Aldritch's Metric Pattern Making) to add some sarong style drape. Basically, just slash, spread and add some more paper underneath.

Winifred really holds you hand through this. Thank you dear.

Can't show you much else at the moment though. Mwah, haha!

So apart from that I spent bits of last weekend working the F6 Studios stall at Northern Pride and having a bloody good time while I was there. What a great event. We had a soggy Saturday and a sunny Sunday. The weather was glorious. There was cake, rainbows, more rainbows and a Lady Gaga impersonator (she was brilliant) as well as loads of other stuff going on. I am knackered from all the too-ing and fro-ing and it is only Monday. Last weekend was 6am starts EVERY DAY!!! Shouldn't be allowed.

So I hope that you have got more sewing done than me and that you are all enjoying the fabulous weather.

2 comments:

Both fabrics are gorgeous, but you won't be surprised at all when I say that the leaf print one is my favourite - it's fabulous! Yes, it would make a lovely sarong skirt, wouldn't it? Or a Liz Taylor style kaftan! I am very impressed (and not a little intimidated) by your pattern cutting skills. It's as much as I can do to use a basic pattern as it is, never mind adapting it... I am hoping to get something made this holiday, don't know what yet though. Last night, I helped my friend's daughter make a reversible tote bag using some of my vintage fabric, she was delighted with the finished product. xxx

Oh, that sounds fantastic. I love bags, especially ones made with vintage fabric. It is a great feeling to be able to make something yourself. She must have been so chuffed. Not very hard to alter patterns, I have Winifred to help me along. I draped what I wanted to make first in a sort of flowing polyester that I had. Pity it was just a wee bit as it draped beautifully. Glad that you like the fabric. I am sick of not getting any sewing done and am hoping to get some done in the holidays too. Don't have access to a machine Mon-Fri so having some time will be amazing. I really loved the clothes that you have made so far. You have really got the sewing thing nailed. What about a skirt? xxxx

About Me

Hello, my name is Kelly. Welcome to MoR! This is the spot to follow the creative highs and lows as I try to upcycle my life. Boring scientist by day, secret seamstress by night. I love all things sewing, crafting, vintage fashion & home related. I am a complete corset obsessive, making corsets under the "Bad Kitty" banner and have been known to sew a costume or two. I live in Glasgow with way too much vintage fabric and sewing machines.
When I am not sewing I like gardening, cooking and baking. I have a beautiful daughter who thinks I am embarrassing and a very cuddly cat.